Kanwal Rekhi on the importance of preparation

by Santosh

“His first task will be to change the company’s culture, he says. When he arrived, the start-up was burning through $33,000 a day in expenses, or about $1 million a month, and making minimal revenue. He blames the deficit on managers who decided to let customers use the technology for free assuming they can charge later when the economy improves. ‘You’re training your customers to expect not to pay,’ he says. ‘If he’s not paying now, he’s not going to pay later.’ Rekhi cites Prussian military officer Carl von Clausewitz about the need to wage war even in quiet times. In corporate life, that means preparing for battle before the economic recovery. ‘Most wars are won or lost in the preparation phase,’ Rekhi says.”